Disintegrators and feeding means therefor



Dec. 8, 1964 H. J. SHELTON, JR 5 DISINTEGRATORS AND FEEDING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 23, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. HARRY J. SHELTON JR.

ATTORNEY H. J. SHELTON, JR 3,160,351

DISINTEGRATORS AND FEEDING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 23, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 8, 1964 u w 1 w R. b W a J wr//// V///////////V/////76/////// ////1/ m M N -iail m l E R F l W H m F s T A Y 3 R 2 R A 2 H 7 2 n ll p W K a w v2 M m 1 7 o M m m M 5 m m M. mm. B a 3mm q w 2.

Dec. 8, 1964 H. J. SHELTON, JR 3,160,351

DISINTEGRATORS AND FEEDING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 23, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 6

FIG 4 ATTORNEY 55 27 INVENTOR 49 gg i HARRY J. SHELTON JR.

Dec. 8, 1964 H. J. SHELTON, JR 3,

DISINTEGRATORS AND FEEDING MEANS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 23 1962 INVEN TOR.

HARRY J. SHEIJ'ON JR.

AT TO RNEY Dec. 8, 1964 H. J. SHELTON, JR

DISINTEGRATORS AND FEEDING MEANS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 23, 1962 INVENTOR.

, HARRYJ. SHELTON JR.

ATTORNEY 7-7ofFIG.1; v

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line United States Patent 3,166,351 DESENTEGRATGRS AND FEEDING MEANi THEREFGR Harry J. Shelton, lira, Ladue, Mo., assignor to Gruendler Crusher 8: Pnlverizer (10., St. Louis, Mo a corporation of Missouri sa a Apr. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 139,412 16 Claims. (Cl. 241-'-34) This invention relates in general to comminuting devices and, more particularly, to an improved type of dis integrator and associated feeding means.

Pulverizers, disintegrators, and especially the hammermill type of pulverizer are commonly employed in many of the operations presently performed in the chemical and related industries. Ordinarily, in such devices, the hammers are rotated at great speed and with a great force against incoming large particles of material and reduce the size thereof. Some types of materials, howeverysuch as certain kinds of waxes, synthetic resins, and the like are formed in large rectilinear blocks which cannot be dropped into a grinder cage and fed by gravity to the hammers. Consequently, such materials must be broken up into at least coarse lumps by hand or by some preliminary breaking machine. In addition to this, many such materials are tough and slightly malleable rather than brittle and frangible so that they do not readily lend themselves to impact-disintegration but must be broken down into smaller-particle size by a procedure more nearly resembling shredding or chopping.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a disintegrator or comminutor adapted for the reduction of large block-like masses of relatively non-frangible materials such as waxes, synthetic resins, and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a disintegrator or comminutor having feeding means which will positively feed material in successive predetermined increments to the size-reduction mechanism.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a feeding means for use with disintegrators which is substantially automatic in operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disintegrator and feeding means therefor of the type stated which can be readily disassembled for replacement of parts or other repairs whenever necessary.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a feeding device for use with hammermills which is sturdy in construction and economical in cost.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (five sheets)- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 'dishitegrator-and a feeding means therefor which is constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2; v

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2; v

PIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line along line FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 7;

Patented Dec. 8, 1964 ice 7 1 formed preferably as a heavy malleable ironcasting.

Mounted on the base 1 is an outer housing 2 including a cage base 3 which is integrally connected at its forward margin to a front wall 4 and at is rearward margin to a back wall 5. The front and back walls 4, 5, are integrally connected at their transverse margins by left andright end walls 6, 7, respectively. The" front wall 4 integrally merges into a top wall 8 which isspaced upwardly and forwardly from the back Wall 5, providing access to the interior portions of the disintegrator A for accom-.

plishing necessary repairs. Provided for closurewise dis-' position across this access is a cover plate 9 having depending sidewalls 1t 10', which integrally merge into extendedfianges 11, 11', which are sized for matching engagernent with flanges 12, 12', integrally formed on the top and back walls 8, 5, respectively. Each of the flanges.

11, 11, and 12, 12, are provided with apertures or .so-

called bolt -holes for accommodating bolts b, b, in which manner the cover plate 9 is removably secured to the top wall 8 and back wall 5, respectively.

Welded to the outer face of the end wall 6 is a pair' of laterally spaced gusset plates 13 which are, in turn,

welded to the underface of and support a horizontal bracket plate 14 for supporting the lower half of a pillowblock 15 secured thereon by bolts or suitable attachment means. Similarly, welded to the outer face of the end wall 7 is a pair of gusset plates 16 which. are, in turn,

welded to the underface of and support a horizontal bracket plate 17 for supporting the lower half of a pillow block 18 secured thereon by bolts or other suitablefastening means, the pillow blocks 15, 18, being in axial alignment with each other. Operatively mounted within the pillow blocks 15, 18, and held in place by arcuate bean ing caps 19, 29, are conventional roller bearings .21, 22,

respectively. Held in and extending horizontally through the roller bearings 21, 22, is a rotor shaft 23 which-is pro- '-vided at one end with a V-groovedpulley 24. The V- grooved pulley 24 is connected to a driving pulley 25,? and a conventional electric motor 26 by means of 'a series 1 of V-belts 27, the electric motor. 26 being mounted. exhich ternally of the housing 2 by support brackets 28@ are, in turn, welded to the base support 1-.

Rigidly keyed to the rotor shaft23 is a series of axially aligned disks 2% which are held in endwisefabutmentand in locked. position upon the shaft 23 betweena'pair ofzi' threadedly mounted locking rings 30, 31. Each of the disks 29 are provided on their periphery with four unif formly spaced elongated grooves 32 which are positioned at a dihedralangle with-respect to the'znormal radius of the disk as. By reference to FIG. 2, it can be. seen that the four grooves 32 arelocated apart in terms of circular measure aroundthe disks 29. 'Each of the disks 29 is rotated approximately 45 with respect to the next axially aligned disk'so that the grooves 32 of one diskwill be rotated with approximately 45 "with respe'ctto the grooves 32 of the 'next axially aligned disk 29. In

other words, the grooves 32 ofevery other 'disk29 on the shaft 23 are arranged in four axially aligned sets which are sized for accommodating rotor knives 33 hav ing a sharpened cutting edge 34 and which are further retained within the grooves 32 by means of a rotor wedge 35. By reference to FIG. it can be seen that the wedge, 35 bears against the knives 33 and is provided with aper-i tures 36 for accommodating standard bolts 37 whereby l the wedge 35 is rigidly secured within the groove 320i the disk 29. By means of this construction, it should be obvious that the rotor knives 33 can be easily removed for replacement by removing the bolts 37 from the apertures 36 and thereupon withdrawing the wedge35. Oftentimes', the wedge 35 becomes firmly embedded within the'grooves 32 and is not easily removed therefrom. Consequently, the wedge 35 is provided with a second aperture or socalled bolt-hole 38 for accommodating an elongated bolt (not shown) which will bear against the disk 29 when threaded within the aperture 39 and force the wedge 35 out of the groove 32. In this connection, it should also be noted that a suitable shim 39 can be interposed be-' tween the lower edge of the groove 32 and the knife '33 for regulating the depth of projection of the knife 33. Thus, after continuous use, the knives 33 can be conveniently removed and milled to a sharpened edge 34.

-However, to maintain proper cutting edge depth, it 'is often necessaryto insert a shim such as the shim 39'.

Integrally formed with the base 3 and extending be tween each of the left and right end walls 6, 7 respectively, is a bed plate il'which integrally includes three upstanding flanges 41, 42, 43. The flanges 42;, 43, integrally merge into knife-retaining cups 44, 45, respectively, which extend the axial length of the endwise abutting, axially aligned disks 29, all as can best be seen in F1652. Snitably mounted within each of the cups &4, 45, are U-shaped Li 1 The sheet of plastic or other similar material, which is to be pulverized in the disintegrator .A is carried by and fed tothe disintegrator by means of a feeding device F substantially as shown in FIGS. 7-9 and which includes a pair of forward legs 78 and a. pair of rearward legs 79, the latter of which have a vertical height slightly greater than the forward legs 7 8. Bolted to and extending between each of the pairs of legs 78, 79, are guide-formingbrackets 8t 81, preferably formed of any standard rolled I-beam, which integrally include'extended flanges 82, 83, resmctively, at their upper margins. 7 ing between each of the brackets 80, 81, the entire length thereof, isa horizontal feed support shelf or ramp 84- wlnch'is spaceddownwardly from the flanges 82, 83,

substantially as shown in FIG. 9, defining a pair of'guide channels 0, c. It can be seen that the ramp 84 is inclined downwardly toward and abuts the lower' margin'of the intake aperture 67 for supplying the feed input to the dis integrator A. The guide-forming brackets 80, 81, are

inter-connected by lengthwise cross supports 85, 86, preferably 'formed of any standard rolled l-beam, the crosssupport 35 having an integrally formed upper flange 87 which serves as a rear stop, all for reasons which will presently more fully appear.

knife holders 4 6, 47, each of which are lengthwise grooved I .for accommodating bed knives 48, 49, having cutting edges 50, 51, andwhich are retained in the knife holders 46, 47, by means of conventional bolts 52,53, 'respectively. Each of the knife holders 46', 47, have reduced extended ends 54,55, which extend outwardly of the housing Z'thro-ugh apertures 56, 57, formed within each of the end walls 6, 7 respectively. The e xtended ends 54, 55,

are disposed over lower locking bars 58, 59, which are;

integrally formed with the end walls 6, '7, and the extended ends 54-, 55, are transversely grooved at their upper ends for the accommodation of upper locking bars as, 61.

The'locking bars" 53, 60, and the extending end 54" are vertically drilled to'receive removable-bolted? and the locking bars 59,61, and the extended end'55 are similarly drilled to receive removable bolts 63, all as can best be seen in FIG. 3. V

The upper edge of the bed plate 4% is lengthwise grooved to accommodate a'breaker plate or anvil 64 having a I sharpened cutting edge65. The breaker plate 64 is sec'ured to the bed plate ma means of bolts 66 and is I located immediately beneath an intake aperture 67 formed Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the crosssupports: 85, 85, extending upwardly therefrom are two pairs of spaced cylinder support beams 83, 3?, and rigidly secured to the other end thereof is a hydraulic feeding ram 90, which includes a feeding cylinder S 1 and slid-ably disposed in the cylinderfii'is atpiston 92 I The cylinder 91 is suitably mounted-in acasing93, and secured to the;

piston 92 is a piston-rod 9 lwhichextends outwardly of the casing 93, through an aperture 95 formed Within one Y of the end walls thereof. Boltedto the forward end of the piston-rod 94%, reference being made'to FIG. 8, is a shoe 96 having a forwardly presented ramming .plate 97. integrally formedfwith the plate 97 at each of its transverse ends and extending rearwardly and upwardly therer from are side wails 98, 9?, preferably formed of U -shaped grally formed at theirloWer ends.

within the front wall 4. LThecutting edge is spaced from the cutting edge 34' of each of the knives 33 to provide initial crushing or pulverizing action whe is sent through the aperture 67.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to thefinterior graces of 'the 'left and right end walls 6, 7, is an arcuate V inner rail 68 and a rearwardly spaced concentric channel forming back rail 69 which defines a transversely regis- Slidably disposed 'tering screen-receiving channel 70.

'withinthe channel 79 is a conventional lower screen 'or'i grate-bar assembly71, the lower end of "which abuts a fiange- 72Iintegrally formed, with the bediiplate t ti. Welded or otherwisefrigidly secured'tothe interior faces n the input,

ofthe lateral sidewalls 'ldltlfl-is'an 'arcuat'ebottom rail 73 and a rearwardly spaced concentric channel forming top rail 74 which defines a transversely registering screen-receiving channel 75. Slidably' disposed within the channel75 is an upper conventional screen or grate bar assembly 76, the upper end of which abuts a flange 77-" I integrally 'formed' on the interior face of the top wall '8.

It will be noted, by reference to, FIG.2, that the upper" FIGS. 8 and 9 Iit'can be-seen that the shoe 96 is slidable along the ramp 84 in the guide-channels c, c, as the piston-rod 94 is extended and retracted within the cylinder 91. it can be seen that the shoe 96 is limited-in its rearward movement by means of the flange 87 which serves as a rear stop.

- integrally formed'with' each of the transverse side walls of the bed plate dtl adjacent-its upper margin are support flanges the, itlihand bolted'or otherwise rigidly secured thereto are mounting channels 193, 1%, which are'disposed onfeach transverse lendtof the intake aperture 67.

Bolted to the mounting channels 198, 1ii9,;and extending upwardly theretrorn is' a support frame includinga pair of uprightsfili', 112, which are crosseconnected' at their upperma'rgins by a transversely extending support ,barll-i3. H v, r U

Suitably mounted on the supportbar-lli and extending downwardly therefrom, are three spacedalignedv pneu inatic cylinders 1114, "H5, H6, and which are secured to ithe" support bar 'jiftii' bymeans of mounted 'plates'lil',

and lower screens 76, 75, respectively, lie. outwardly beyond the outermost peripheral limits of the cuttingknives 33 so that there isa proper, amount of clearance between 1 thecutting edges34 and'thescreens 75, 76:

j 118, 119, respectively. Operatively mounted within each of the cylinders 114,115, 116, are piston-rods 126, 12-1,, 7122, which-terminate in cylindric'al heads 3123, 1.24, 125,

respectively. {Each of the heads 123, i24 i25,'are. axially bored to accommodate 'pivotpins 22:6, 127,,1'25, and .rockably mounted on cache)? the pivot pins 126,127, ,iZ-Sfare clamping'shoes 129, 13%, lifiwhichinclude flat rectilinear plates 132, 133, 134, integrally formed with Secured to and extend pairs of upstanding flanges 135, 136, 137, the flanges 135, 136, 137, being rockably mounted on the pins 126, 127, 128, respectively.

The piston-rods 1211, 121, 122, are guided during their vertical movement by vertical guide-bars 133, 139, 149, which are integrally formed with upstanding flanges 141, 142, 143, the flanges 141, 142, 143, being secured to each of the pins 126, 127, 12%, respectively. By reference to FIG; 6, it can be seen that the guide-bars 138, 139, 140, are movable within guide channels 144, 115, 146, formed within a vertical guide plate 147, the plate 14-7 being bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to a horizontal bracket 147 which, in turn, extends transversely between and is secured to the uprights 111, 112. Thus, by reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the clamping cylinders 114, 115, 116, maintain the slab of feed material in a rigid position, while the feeding ram 9% forces the feed into the fpulverizer A. Moreover, when the piston 52 of the ram 91) is withdrawn into the cylinder 91, the pneumaticcylinders 114-, 115, 116, will hold the slab of feed material in a rigid position and maintain the feed in a cutting position. I

Each of the cylinders 114, 115, 116, are operated in a pre-timed relationship to the feeding cylinder or hydraulic ram 90 by suitable control means 148 Which are mounted on a control panel 143 the panel 1 19 being supported by and rigidly secured to the support frame 11%.

The control means 143 is schematically shown in FIG. and includes a pair of current-carrying conductors 151, 152, which are suitably connected to a threehundred-eighty volt source of alternating current (not shown), the conductor 1 2 additionally bein grounded. A two pole recycling-on-and-off timer 153, which includesv a single pole switch 154- and a conventional timer motor 155, has one pole connected to a set of contacts 156 on:

a three-position wing-lever switch 157, which has open, OE, and automatic positions. The switch 157 has a second set of contacts 153 which is connected to the conductor 151 and also to the timer motor 155. The switch 157 also includes a set of contacts 159 and a set of contaotsltl on the open position. The control means 148 also includes a second three-position wing-lever switch 161 which has open, 011, and feed positions. The switch 161 is provided with a set of contacts 162 on the feed position and a set of'contacts 163 on the open position. The contacts 156 of the three-position switch 157 are electrically connected to the pole switch 154 and to one terminal of a pilotsolenoid 164 and a pilot solenoid 165, the other terminals of the solenoids 154, 165, being grounded. The contacts 163 of the threeposition switch 161 are connected to one terminal of the pilot solenoids 166, 167, the otherterminals of the solenoids 166, 167, being grounded. The contacts'156 and the contacts 162 are further connected to a pilot solenoid 16S and the contacts 160 are connected to a pilot solenoid 169, the solenoids 16%, 169, having their other terminals grounded, all as schematicfly shown in FIG. 10.

The solenoid 154 is operatively connected to a threeway normally closed solenoid operated pilot valve 176 having one port connected to lower fluid ports 171, 172, on each of the clamping cylinders 11d, 116, respectively.

v Thesolenoid 165 is operatively connected to and adapted to actuate a three-way normally open solenoid operated pilot valve 173 having one port connected to an upper fluid inlet port 174 and an upper fluid port 175 on each of the cylinders 114, 116, respectively. The solenoid 116 is operatively connected to a three-way normally closed solenoid operated pilot Valve 176 having one port connected to a lower fluid port 177 of the clamping cy inder 115. The solenoid 167 is operatively connected to a three-way normally open solenoid operated pilot valve 178 having one port connected to an upper fluid port 1'79,

. on the clamping cylinder 115. Each of the solenoid valves 171i, 173, 176, 173, are connected to air returns 180, 181, 182, 183, respectively, for returning eachof the the air under pressure from each of the clamping cylinders 114, 115, 116.

The solenoid 168 is operativelyconnected to and adapted to actuate a three-way normally closed solenoid pilot valve 134 wluch is, in turn, connected to an air operated servo-mechanism or air pilot 185. The solenoid 169 is operatively connected to and adapted to'actuate a normally closed solenoid operated pilot valve 186 which is, in turn, connected to an air operated servo-mechanism or air pilot 157. The solenoid valves 134, 186, are also provided with exhaust ports for expelling the air from each of the servo-mechanisms 135, 137, respectively. The hydraulic feeding ram is provided with hydraulic fluid from a. reservoir 138 and a pump 189, and is regulated by means of a four-way three-position hydraulic valve 190,

which is provided with a feed position, a hold posi- The'valve 1%is further 7 reservoir 18% and the lower fluid port 192 for regulatingthe flow of fluid from the rarn 91) to the reservoir 188 and thereby regulating the speed of the piston 92.

Each of the valves 1715, 173, 176,173, 184, 186, are all. operatively connected to a source or high-pressure air 194 through an air supply l ne 195. interposed in the air, supply line 195 is a lubrication reservoir 1% for supplying required lubricating oil to the various valves and cylinders of the feeding device F. A filter 197 is interposed in the air supply line 195101" removing any harmful foreign material in the air 194. A pressure regulating valve 198 is also mounted in the air supply line 19 5 for regulating the air-pressure to the various valves from the source of air 194. i

In use, the disintegrator A is connected to a suitable source of electrical current through its own internal electrical circuitry, not shown, and which is distinct and separate from the electrical circuitry and control means forming part of the feeding device F. As the electrical circuitry of the disintegrator A is conventional, and in no way forms part of the. present invention, it is neither illustrated nor described in detail herein. The disintegra: tor A should preferably be mounted on a floor or similar support and overan opening so that pulverized material passing through each of the screens 712 76, will drop into a conventional discharge bin (not shown). When the electric motor 26 is energized, the 'rotor shaft 23 and the axially aligned disks 29. which are keyed thereto will rotate in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 2.

The sheet or slab of plastic material or other similar relatively hard material is fed through the intake aperture 67 and initially crushed between the cutting edge 34 of the rotor knives 33 and the cutting edge 650i the breaker plate 6 1. T he material is further pulverized by the cutting action: of each of the cutting edges 50, 51, and the rotor knives 33. Actually, as the first rotor knife 33 passes the anvil or breaker plate 64, it will initially sever a large moved from the screen channel 70 and the upper screen 76 is removed from the channel '75. It is also to be noted that when the cover plate? is removed each of the rotor knives 33 are readily accessible and can; easily and conveniently be changed for sharpening or similar repairs. An elongated bolt (not shown) is ins'e'rtedwithin the second aperture or bolt hole 33 and when turned will bear against the disk 29 forcing the wedge 35 out of the groove 32. At-this point, the knife 33 can be sharpened to a line cutting edge 34 and reinserted within the groove 52. As the depth of the knife may have been shortened in the cutting operation, a suitable shim '39 can be inserted between the lower edge of the groove 32 and the base of the knife 33. Thereupon, the rotor shaft 23 can beturned until the next set of knives 33 are accessible for repairing or sharpening. The bed knives 43, 49, can be convertlently removed from the sides of the housing'Z without completely disassembling or breaking down the pulyerizer A. The bolts 62 are removed from the locking bars 53, t and the bolts 63 are removed from the locking bars 59, 61, thereupon, permitting removal of the upper locking bars 69, 61. The knife holders 46, 47, can thenbe removed from the housing 2 through the apertures 5d,

57, and the bed knives 48, 49, can be removed from the The two electrical conductors 151, 152, are connected- :0 a suitable source of three-hundred'eighty volt alternatng current (not shown), for electrical actuation of the Feeding circuit. For purposes of describing the operation f the various components of the feeding device F, it may )e assumed that each of the switches 157, 161, are Lrthe off position, each of the clamping cylinders 114, 1-15, L16, are in the normally lowerecPor clamped posiion and that the ram 91) is in the open or withdrawn osition. The disintegrator A is then energized for rotatng the rotor knives 33 in the manner previously described. The feed material, which may be a large slab of relatively lard synthetic resin or plastic material, is disposed upon he feed support shelf or ramp $4 in feeding position, in rrder to be inserted into the disintegrator A. It is to be loted that as the solenoids 164, 165, 166, 167, are un- .ctuated, the pilot valves 1'79, 173, 176, 178, arein their tormal positions, and thus the clamping cylinders 114 115, .16, are in the clamped positiom as shown schematially in FIG. 10; The wing lever of the switch 161 is moved to the feed position, thus closing the contacts 62. Through the circuitry, it can be-seen that the sole .oid 168 is actuated, thereby opening the normally closed alve 184 and permitting air to flow into the servo-mechaism 185. The actuation of the servo-'nechanism 185 till force the valve 191? into the feed position, thus periitting fluid from the. reservoir 183 to be pumped into 1e port 191 of the ram 9t), and thus causing the piston 2 and the ramming plate 97 to move forwardly forcing 1e feed material toward the intake aperture 67.. As the lamping cylinders 114, 115, 116, are in the closed osition, there is no danger of the ram so forcing the feed 1to the disintegrator A. Thereupon, a wing lever of the Witch 161 is moved to the off position.

In order to automatically operate the feeding device F, 1e wing lever of the switch 157 is moved to the autoiatic position. Thus, current from the conductor 151 ill fiow through thetirne-r 153 actuating the timer motor 55. When the timer motor 155 sends an impulse, the

ole switch 154 will close, causing the impulse to actuate 1e solenoids 164, 165. The solenoid 164 will there 8 valve 170, maintaining communication between the air supply line 195 and the lower fluid ports 171, 172, and the clamping cylinders 114, 115. Air'will thereupon iiow into these cylinders 114, 116, raising each of the piston-rods 121?, 122, to the open position. happens, the solenoid 165 will close the normally open solenoid operated pilot valve 173 permitting air to discharge .from the upper ports 174, 175, of each of the cylinders, 114, 116. At this point, it is-to-be noted. that the solenoid 165 has closed the normally open valve 173, thus cutting off communication with the air supply line 195, and in doing so, vents'each of the cylinders 114,

116, tothe exhaust port of the valve 173. It should also be noted that exhaust port of the valve 170 is closed to each of the cylinders 114, 116, thus maintaining each of the cylinders 114, 116, in the open position.

At the same time that each of the outside clamping cylinders 11 i, 116, aremoved to the open position, the impulse from the timer 153 is delivered to the solenoid 168, actuating the solenoid 168 and thereby opening the normally closed valve 184. This will, in turn, actuate the air pilot solenoid 185 which will move the valve 190' to the feed position. As this happens, the fluidfnom the reservoir 1:18 will be pumped by the pump 189 into.

the port 131 of the ram 90. The piston 92 will be moved a forward to a point Where the'rarnrning plate 97 will abut prevent chattering of the slab feed material during the disintegrating operation.

After the timer 153 cuts the impulse to'tthe solenoids 164, 155', the normally closed valve 171} Will close and the normally open valve 173 will open, thus permitting the air within each of the cylinders 114, 116, to vent through the exhaust portof the valve 170. At the same time, communication between the ports 174, 175, of the cylinders 114,116, wd the air supply line 155 will be maintained through the now openedvalve 173, thereby moving the'pistons 120, 122, to the closed position. As the clamping tcylinders'll i, 116, are closed, the impulse to the solenoid'1 68 is also cut closing the normally closed valve 184- and' thereby tie-energizing the servomechanism solenoid 135 Asa result thereof, the valve 190 is biased by means of springs (not shown), to its neutral or hold position. It can be seen that the fluid from'the reservoir 188 (is then continually recycled through the valve-190 and the fluid ports 191, 192, of

- the ram 90 will be closed to the reservoir 188 thusholding the piston 92 in a rigid position.

As another impulse is sent from the timer 153, the clamping cylinders 114-, 116, will open and the valve 1% will be actuated to feed position for powering the ram 913. It can be seen that when the three-position wing-lever switch 157 is moved. to the automatic position, the entire circuitry is automatic. The timer 153 is set in a predetermined time rate in which the piston 92 of the hydraulic ram 91) will advance in pre-tirned relationship to the opening and closing of the clamping cylinders 114, 115, 116. By means of the above-outlined construction, it can be seen that the center clamping cylinder will always remain in a closed position when the wing-lever switch 161 is in the off position, and the wing lever of the switch, 157 is in the auto 122,is guided by means of the guide-bars 138, 139, 144}. As the shoes 129, 131 151, are rockably mounted on the piston-rods 12%, 121, 122,.by meansof the pins 126;

127, 128, the shoes 129, 130, 131 will maintain the feed As this 9: in a rigid position on the ramp 84. It is also to be noted by means of the above-outlined construction, that as each of the piston-rods 120, 121, 122, move to the lower or clamped position, they will effectively block the passage of air to the lower ports 165, 1'70, respectively, thereby preventing the exhaust of high-pressure air from each of the inlet ports 167, 172, 168, respectively, to the atmosphere.

When it is desired to insert a new slab of feed material on the ramp $4, the wing lever of the threeposition switch 161 is moved to the open position and the wing lever of the automatic three-position switch 157 is also moved to the open position. As this happens, the solenoids166, 167, will be electrically connected to the conductor 151 thereby actuating the solenoids 166, 167. The solenoid 166 will open the normally closed valve 176 maintaining communication between the air supply line 195 and the lower port 177 of'the cylinder 115, thereby permitting air to pass into the cylinder 115 and raise the piston-rod 121. Similarly, the solenoid 167 will close the normally open valve 178 and maintain communication between the upper port 179 and exhaust port of the valve 178 for exhausting the air in the cylinder 115. In this connection, it should be noted that the cylinder 115 is closed to the air supply line 1% as long as the solenoid 167 is electrically actuated. As the switch 157 is moved to the open position, the solenoids 164, 165, are actuated which, in turn, opens the normally closed valve 170 and closes the normally open valve 1735, thereby raising the clamping cyli-nders 114, 116, in the manner as previously described.

The moving of the wing lever of the switch 157 to the open position also energizes the return solenoid 1%9 which opens the normally closed valve 186 and actuates the servo-mechanism solenoid 187. This will move the valve 190 to the return position, causing fluid to flow into the port 192 and out of the port 191 of the cylinder 91. This will, in turn, withdraw the piston Q2 within the cylinder 91. When the piston 92 is withdrawn and each of the cylinders 114, 115, 116, are in the upper position, a new slab of feed material can be placed on the ramp- 84 for insertion into the disintegrator A. However, when each of the cylinders 11 i, 115, 116, are open, the disintegrator A should be turned off for safety purposes. If the clamping cylinders are in the open position, the rotation of the rotor knives 33 may cause the feed mat rial tobe forced out of the disintegrator A and could possibly cause a hazardous condition.

After the new slabof feed material is placed upon the ramp 84%, the wing lever of the switch 161 is moved to the off position and the wing lever of the switch 157 is moved to the automatic position, for automatic operation in the manner previously described. In this connection, it should also be noted that the switch 161 should be constructed so that the wing lever is always biased away from the contacts 15,2,80 that there is no danger of fee a slab of feed material into the disintegrator A with out at least one of the clamping cylinders being in a clamped? position. i v t should be understood that changes and modification in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the disintegrators and feeding 'means therefor may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from th nature and principle of my invention a Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Afeeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegrators having a feed-intake opening, said feeding device comill feed-intake opening for clamping the slab of feed material during the feeding operation to prevent the feed material from being forced out of the disintegrator, and control means for operating the second means in pro-timed relationshipto the first means.

2. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegrators and the like, said feeding device comprising means for feeding a slab of feed material to disintegrator, first clamping means for clamping the slab of feed material during the feeding operation to prevent the feed material from being forced out of the disintegrator, second clamping means operatively associated with the'first clamping I clamping position when said feeding means is actuated and for maintaining said second clamping means in a clamping position when said feedingv means is not actuated.

3. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegrators and the like, said feeding device comprising means for feeding a slab of feed material to the disintegrator, first clamping means for clamping the slab of feed material during the feeding operation to prevent the feed material from being forced out of the disintegrate-r, second clamping means operatively associated with the first clamping means, manual control means for maintaining said first clamping means in clamping position during the entire feeding and disintegrating operation, automatic control means for maintaining said second clamping means in a non-clamping position when said feeding means is actuated and for maintaining said second clamping means in a clamping position when said feeding means is not actuated. 1 l l 4. A, feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such asplastic and synthetic resins to-disintegrators having a feed-intake opening, said feeding device.

comprising support means for slidably supporting the slab of feed material, driving means for forcing the slab of feed material into the feed-intake opening of the disingrators having a feedrintake opening, said feeding device comprising support means for slidably supporting the slab of feed material, driving means for forcing the slab; of feed material into the feed-intake opening of"theldis:j

integrator, guide means operatively associated with said driving means for guiding said driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated, first clamping means for holding the feed material against the support means during the entire feeding operation, sec- 0nd clamping means shiftable between a vclamping posi:

tion and-a disengaged position and being adapted tohold the feed material, and control means forimoving said second clamping means to clamping position'only when said driving means is not actuated.

material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegra tors and the like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed material, driving means for forcing the slab of feed material into thedis a integrator, guide means operatively associated-withsaid.

driving means for guidingfsaid driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated,l at least one first clamping cylinder having a first movable piston,

6, A feeding device for feeding slabs-of-relatively hard first shoe means rockably mounted on said first piston, for.

holding the feed on the support means during the entire feeding operation, at least one second clamping cylinder for holding the feed matenial during a portion ofthe feeding operation at least one second clampingcylinder'having a second movable piston, a second shoe means recliably mounted on said second piston, and control means for actuating said second clamping cylinder and moving said second clamping shoe means to the clamping position when said driving means is not actuated.

7. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic'resins to disintegrators and the like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed material, driving means for forcing the slab of feed material "into the disintegrator, guide means operatively associated with said driving means for guidingsaid driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated, at least one first clamping cylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted on said first piston, for holding the feed on the support means during the entire feeding operation, at least one second clamping cylinder for holding the feed material during a portion of the feeding operation, atleast one second clamping cylinder having a second movable piston, 21 second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, manual control means for actuating said first clamping cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping posh tion, and automatic control means foractuating said sec ond'clamping cylinder and moving said second clamping t2 7 tion, at least one second clamping cylinder having a'second movable piston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, second cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said second piston forguiding said second piston during its clamping movement, manual control means for actuating said first clamping cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping position, and

automatic control means for actuating said second clamping cylinder and moving said second clamping shoe means to the clamping actuated.

- and lower the second clamping cyliri shoe means to the clamping position when said driving means is not actuated.

8. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard I material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegra tors and the like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed materiah,driving means for forcing the slab of feed material into the disintegrator, guide means operatively associated withfisaid 10. The feeding device of claim 9 where the automatic control means includes a timer for actuating the driving means and raising and lowering the second clamping means at predetermined time intervals.

11. The feeding device of claim 9 wherein the manual control means includes normally closed valve means coacting normally open valve means, and switch means op- "tors and the like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed material, hydraulic driving means for forcing theslab of feed. material into the disintegrator, guide meansoperatively associated with driving means for guiding said driving means along the l support means when the driving means is actuated, at least one first clamping cylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted on "said first piston,.for holding the feed on the'sup'port means during the entire feeding operation,first cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said first piston for guiding the first piston during its clamping movement, at least .one second clamping cylinder for holding the feed material during a portion Q01 the'feeding. operation, at least one second clamping cylinder having asecorid'movable piston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said sec- 0nd piston, second cylinder guide means. operativelyv mounted onsaid second piston for guiding said second piston during its clamping movement, manual control means for actuating said'first clamping cylinderand moving saiclsfirst shoe means to the clampingposition, and

automatic control means for actuating saidsecond clamp-.-

actuated. v 9. A feeding device for feedingslabs of r'e'lativelyhard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to' disintegratorsand the like, said feeding device comprising ;;support driving means for forcing the slab ,of feed material into,

the disintegrator, guide rneans'operatively associated with on said first piston for holding the feed on thesupport; f means during the entire feeding operation, first cylinder guide means operatively'mounted'on' said first piston for guiding the first piston duringitsclamping movement, at

least one second pneumatic clampingcylinder for'holding i the feed material during a portion of the feeding opera-- ing cylinder and moving said second clamping shoe means tothe clamping position when said, driving means is not V I i i it '14. A feeding device forfeeding slabs of relatively hard do rnaterial such as plastic and synthetic resins to disinte said driving meansfor guiding said driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated, at least one first pneumatic clamping cylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted on said first piston'for holding the feed on the support means during the entire feeding operation, first cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said first piston for guidingthe first piston during its clamping movement, at least one second pneumatic clamping cylinder for holding the feed material during a portion of the feeding opera ftion, at leastjonesecond clamping cylinder having a sec- 0nd movable piston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, second cylinder guide,

means operatively mounted on said second piston for guiding said. secondpiston during its clamping movement, manual control means for actuating said first clamping cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping position, timer means operatively, connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said driving means, and normally closed valve means and coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to Saidtimer means foropening and closing said second pneumatic cylinder responsive to an impulse from said timer means.

g'rators andthelikasaid feeding device comprising sup- I I p a [port means for containing the slab of" feed material, by. meansfor containing the slab of feedigmaterial, hydraulic into the disintegrato rfguide means operatively associated. I I v v with said driving means for guiding said driving means said driving means for guidingsaid driving meansalor'ig f the slippdrtmiean's when; the'driving means is actuated-Q 1 at least one first pneumatic clampingcylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted draulic driving means for forcing the slab of feed material along'the support means when thefd'rivingimeans is actufated,atleast one first pneumatic clamping cylinder hav ing a first movable piston, first shoe meansrockably ;,mounted on said first piston for holding the feed on the ,ton for guiding the first pistonduring its clamping movement, at least one" second pneumatic clamping cylinder 'i for holding the feed material, during aiportion of the ffeeding operation," at least, one second clamping cylinderposition when said driving means is not 13 having a second movablepiston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, second cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said second piston for guiding said second piston during its clamping movement, manual control means for actuating said first clamping-cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping position, timer means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said driving means, first normally closed valve means and first coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said timer means for opening and closing said second pneumatic cylinder responsive to an impulse from said timer means, and-second normally closed valve means and coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said driving means and timer means for actuating said driving means responsive to an impulse from said timer means.

15. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegrators and the like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed material, hydraulic driving means for forcing the slab of feed material into the disintegrator, guide means operatively associated with said driving means for guiding said driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated, at least one first pneumatic clamping cylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted on said first piston for holding the feed on the support means during the entire feeding operation, first cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said first piston for guiding the first piston during its clamping movement, at least onflie second pneumatic clamping cylinder for holding the feed material during a portion of the feeding operation, at least one second clamping cylinder having a second movable piston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, second cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said second piston for guiding said second piston during its clamping movement, manual control means for actuating said first clamping cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping position, timer means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said driving means, first normally closed valve means and first coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said timer means for opening and closing said second pneumatic cylinder responsive to an impulse from said timer means, second normally closed valve means and coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said driving means and timer means for actuating said driving means responsive to an impulse from said timer means, and switch means operatively interposed between said timer means l4 and said first and second normally open and normally closed valve means.

16. A feeding device for feeding slabs of relatively hard material such as plastic and synthetic resins to disintegrators and the'like, said feeding device comprising support means for containing the slab of feed material, hydraulic driving means for forcing the slab of feed material into the disintegrator, guide means operatively associated with said driving means for guiding said driving means along the support means when the driving means is actuated, at least one first pneumatic clamping cylinder having a first movable piston, first shoe means rockably mounted on said first piston for holding the feed on the support means during the entire feeding operation, first cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said first piston, for guiding the first piston during its clamping movement, at least one second pneumatic clamping cylinder for holding the feed material during a portion of the feeding operation, at least one second clamping cylinder having a second movable piston, a second shoe means rockably mounted on said second piston, second cylinder guide means operatively mounted on said second piston for guiding said second piston during its clamping movement,

' manual control means for actuating said first clamping cylinder and moving said first shoe means to the clamping position, timer means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said driving means, first normally closed valve means and first coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said second pneumatic cylinder and to said timer means for opening and closing said second pneumatic cylinder responsive to an impulse from said timer means, second normally closed valve means and coacting normally open valve means operatively connected to said driving means and timer means for actuating said driving means responsive to an impulse from said timer means, and third normally closed valve means and third coacting normally open Valve means operatively connected to said first pneumatic cylinder for opening and closing said first pneumatic I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

Kircher 241-186 

1. A FEEDING DEVICE FOR FEEDING SLABS OF RELATIVELY HARD MATERIAL SUCH AS PLASTIC AND SYNTHETIC RESINS TO DISINTEGRATORS HAVING A FEED-INTAKE OPENING, SAID FEEDING DEVICE COMPRISING FIRST MEANS LOCATED EXTERNALLY WITH RESPECT TO, AND OUTWARDLY OF THE FEED-INTAKE OPENING FOR FEEDING A SLAB OF FEED MATERIAL IN A LENGTHWISE DIRECTION INTO AND THROUGH SAID FEED-INTAKE OPENING OF THE DISINTEGRATOR, SECOND MEANS LOCATED EXTERNALLY OF AND PROXIMATE TO THE FEED-INTAKE OPENING FOR CLAMPING THE SLAB OF FEED MATERIAL DURING THE FEEDING OPERATION TO PREVENT THE FEED MATERIAL FROM BEING FORCED OUT OF THE DISINTEGRATOR, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SECOND MEANS IN PRE-TIMED RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST MEANS. 